"Confusion is a luxury which only the very, very young can possibly afford and you are not that young anymore." ~ James Baldwin, Author

It's another day here at the ole blogger ranch and to be perfectly honest, some days really challenge yours truly in terms of coming up with thoughts, ideas, stories, and anecdotes to share. That is, things that might be of interest. I can come up with the keystrokes. That's not the problem. But, whether it shows or not, I do attempt to provide at least a modicum of quality in the things I write about. Today is Wednesday, February 28, 2018, and I will keep at it until something shows up. I did download this year's edition of my tax filing software for 2017. That's one of the requisite steps as we inch our way towards the April 15 filing date. I have all of my tax stuff on my oldest computer. That computer has been having some issues over the past couple of years. I really need to start moving things off of it before the inevitable happens. That would be the day it joins the computer scrapheap in the sky. It has had several near misses. Most of the software cannot be updated anymore. The operating system is no longer supported. I suppose the question is why I've postponed important things like saving the stuff before it all is lost. You wouldn't do that? Good for you. Instead of a bucket list, I need to be motivated to take care of those important things that are currently being weighed in the balance. (I thought of that one from the Book of Daniel where he used similar language to tell the king he had been weighed in the balance by God and found wanting.) Maybe taking care of my computer needs should have been on my new year's resolution list. But, I didn't make one. At least I don't have to feel bad about not having kept that as a resolution. I know what I will do. I will get my boys working on a plan to try and move this project forward. Most of the time they read my blogs. I'll wait to hear from them. Maybe a plan will emerge.

One writer said that being unable to come up with stuff for them had to do with the times when their imaginary friends wouldn't talk to them. Some say that when faced with writer's block, you should write about it, describing what it looks like. You know. Write about not being able to write. I think I've done that. More than once. Here's another piece of advice from a seasoned veteran, "Sometimes writing badly can lead to something better. Not writing at all leads to nothing." Another sentiment said that dealing with writer's block is to remove obstacles. Let me see. I'm sitting here all by myself, all alone, just the computer screen and keyboard, the Keurig doing its thing, the humming of the fluorescent lighting, and that's about it. I think I know what to do. I'm going to take a break and go for a walk around the property. Okay. In case you missed it, in leaving for a few minutes, I was removing the only obstacle I could think of. While out and about, I visited with our shipping guy who told me about his son's family visiting the homeland of his daughter-in-law. India. They are away for two weeks. They have been Skyping with the grand kids nearly every day and they are missing them so much. We talked some about that country and its customs. They are there for a wedding. At any rate, it was an interesting conversation and now I am back at the keyboard. Again. Block or no block.

Them Skying with their grand kids from India reminds us all of the technological changes that have taken place in our society. Think about it. Cell phones went into production in the mid 1980's. The initial units were very limited. Fast forward to today where grandparents can be face to face with the grandchildren who are nearly 9,000 miles away. Our eldest is able to visit daily with his 8-month-old granddaughter via Skype from her home in Fort Riley, Kansas. She may be 8 months old but if the phone is left on the coffee table she knows which button to push to get her Paw Paw on the line. He said when it first comes on he can see the ceiling fan, but, she can hear him saying hello and she begins to position the phone where he can at least see the top of her head. When he does finally get her in view, he can see she is looking back to see if mommy is going to come and take the phone away. Those cans with the string show the level of person to person communication that I was familiar with growing up. Fast forward to a tiny child using a smart phone to communicate with her family, well, that's pretty difficult to comprehend. The late science fiction writer, Arthur C. Clarke, had this quote, "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." I certainly can identify with that thought. But, we do live in the time God has allotted to us. Those technologies He has allowed to be developed are tools for us to use in His service and for His glory. See? I just used some pretty remarkable technology to remind us to do that very thing! Amen. ....More later.

We wish a very happy 47th birthday to our baby boy, Rodney Darrell!

Good morning out there in that spin-cycle of a world we all live in, on this day, Tuesday, February 27, 2018. We pause to remember the birth of our youngest, Rodney Darrell, who clocks in today at the age of 47. Our Rodney has been the life of the party as far back as we can remember. He was doing his version of stand-up almost from the get-go. We are thankful for him, for the wonderful family God has entrusted to him, for his professional accomplishments, and for being our child. We pray that God will continue to work in his life as he continues his journey here. Sending our love, along with happy birthday wishes, mom, and dad.

Okay. The Winter Olympics are over and done with. I couldn't resist using that cartoon. It was posted on Facebook by my cousin, Cindy, who lives up in the Dallas area. The other day I was driving down the road listening to one of the sports channels and one of the announcers said he had a spoiler alert from the Olympics. The other guy on the program said go ahead. The fellow then said it had to do with the curling competition. The other guy interrupted, "Hey, wait just a minute, or you telling me that anything involving curling warrants a spoiler alert?" I guess curling just doesn't get much respect. There are many jokes out on the web that poke fun at this unusual sporting endeavor. Most of them or pretty silly. Like this one, "What do you call a curler who can't sleep? Sweepless." The curling community's favorite Bible verse, "He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone." ~ (John 8:7) They also take note of Shakespeare's thoughts from the play, 'As You Like It", "Sweep, you fat and greasy citizens." I want to be clear. I have watched a few rounds. I like how they talk to their teammates as well as encouraging the granite rock as it slides down the ice. I have a number of folks who profess themselves to be eyewitnesses of me doing a fair amount of talking to the TV, regardless of the sport, car racing, basketball, baseball, football, you name it. But, no one has ever accused me of doing that while watching curling. (I am well aware the U.S. men's curling team took the gold. I actually listened to a fanatical fan who is also a sports writer who thinks curling to be one of the greatest of all the competitions. His theory, "What's not to love?")

I had to write something about curling after seeing that curling cartoon. I'm sure a lot of the womenfolk who see it feel like belting out a hearty Amen! when they read that caption. I know. Womenfolk is probably on the hit list for offensive words. I read the other day where one group is attempting to advance an approach that would totally eliminate the word "man" from all languages. In their opinion, that word, in and of itself, is the root cause of much of the evil that exists in the world today. Pretty soon there will no longer be girls and boys along with designated names. Persons with no gender classification would have a neutral name that would not imply anything in particular. What's really behind this? I think it's clear. Many within our culture do not want what God has established, up to and including His truths pertaining to male and female. Genesis1:27 "So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them." ~ Genesis 5:2 "Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created." ~ Genesis 6:19 "And of every living thing of all flesh, two of every sort shalt thou bring into the ark, to keep them alive with thee; they shall be male and female." ~ Genesis 7:16 "And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him: and the LORD shut him in." ~ Numbers 5:3 "Both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell." ~ Matthew 19:4 "And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,..." ~ Mark 10:6 "But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female." ~ Some might say that's Old Testament thinking. Notice the words of Jesus, (red letters), where He confirms the truth concerning these matters. I think that makes it clear enough for menfolk and womenfolk. What say you? May God help us all to follow His truths. Amen. ....More later.

“God has given us two hands--one to receive with and the other to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding; we are channels made for sharing.” ― Billy Graham

In August 1963, Billy Graham returned to Los Angeles for his Southern California Crusade.

Good morning and welcome back. It's Monday, February 26, 2018, where you find me thinking some about the life and times of Evangelist Billy Graham. It's been interesting to observe how the mainstream media has covered his passing. They noted time and time again that he was a man promoting unity, and was one who was determined to stay above the fray. While I do know he moderated some of his fiery rhetoric as he grew older, most of them missed his message entirely. He believed and embraced the truth of God's Holy Word, Jesus is the only way to God. The Holy Spirit used his message of confrontation, conviction, and hope to prompt thousands upon thousands to leave their seats and come forward to repent of their sins and to receive Jesus as their Savior and Lord. I did not hear that covered by the mainstream media. Many of the outlets used his death to lament the contrast between him and his son, Franklin, who has taken an active stand for God-centered morality including that which transpires in the political arena. They tried to portray Billy as the gentle peacemaker while Franklin as one who promotes divisiveness. (Translated: Using the Bible to define right and wrong.) They need to watch some of Bro. Billy's invitations regarding sin, heaven, and hell. I remember watching his crusades growing up. If they were on and Granny Mac was anywhere around, we would be watching them. It was thought of as the thing to do. His crusade was televised, therefore, that's what you should be watching. I suppose it was 'must see' TV for us. We didn't know it, but at that time we were deplorables with training wheels. Here's my recently seen, favorite quote from Billy Graham,  "Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God." May God continue to bless the harvest He achieved through His calling and use of this anointed 'Gospel seed planter'. Amen.

Since I am on the subject of how the mainstream cover things, I heard one the other day on NPR that was almost laughable. The reporter was called upon to explain why the Jews celebrate Passover. The reporter said the Jewish people celebrate because it commemorates the time when the nation fled Egypt. He then went on to give additional stuff that really didn't amount to much. No mention of Jehovah God. No mention of Moses. No mention of the Biblical account. Even Wikipedia, a source known to lean left at times, has this to say about the Jewish Passover: "Passover or Pesach (/ˈpɛsɑːx, ˈpeɪsɑːx/; from Hebrew פֶּסַח‬ Pesah, Pesakh), is an important, biblically derived Jewish holiday. Jews celebrate Passover as a commemoration of their liberation by God from slavery in ancient Egypt and their freedom as a nation under the leadership of Moses. It commemorates the story of the Exodus as described in the Hebrew Bible, especially in the Book of Exodus, in which the Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt." In another report, a major news face reported how a 20-year-old had been able to purchase an AR15 in five minutes even though his ID was expired. He used that story to launch an attack on the ease in which assault weapons can be obtained. One problem. The story was not true. The young man did not purchase that weapon at all. When confronted with this premise being a fake news story, the anchor became livid, spewing out accusations and recriminations, but no answer to his use of a fake story. Bottom line, it served his rant, therefore, without checking out the story, he used it to support his ideas. He actually said the debate is what is important, not the accuracy of the story. I report, I decide, now it's your turn.

I remember one day coming down the elevator in the high rise building where I worked and I was startled to see this most beautiful lady in the lobby with a camera crew. It was a new reporter at the local ABC TV affiliate, Shara Fryer. Seeing her across the way, she looked like she might be a movie star or maybe a beauty queen contestant. That was back in the mid 1980's. She is now on a local morning news radio station and I recently saw her photo. I looked at it and I thought back to that day in the lobby. It reminded me that time has had its way with Shara and it has made its impact on us all. She is still an attractive lady but at 65, she cannot deny the mileage. None of us can. That's how it works. And, knowing this and becoming comfortable with the aging process helps us to be effective in whatever stage we happen to be in. I can remember when those first gray hairs bugged me to no end. That might be a sign of weakness. I could be slipping. Right? Better get some of that stuff and try to cover them up. My how things change. Now any black hairs are considered to be the enemy. We can't let them distract from our pristine white. They have to be cut out or painted with the white cover fluid. Is that funny or what? Role reversal! Oh well, time marches on, and as you can readily see, it waits for no one. Myself included, but you knew that already. Have a great rest of the day and may God bless us all. Amen. ....More later.

“Happy the man who can endure the highest and the lowest fortune. He, who has endured such vicissitudes with equanimity, has deprived misfortune of its power.” Seneca, (Roman philosopher, mid-1st century AD)

It is Friday, February 23, 2018, and I say howdy from my world to yours. I have only a snippet from my blog, ten years ago, and I share it today to emphasize how the names and circumstances may change but having to deal with the everyday vicissitudes of life continues. Unabated.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2008

Thank God He's With Us On Friday

"I'm still somewhat hobbling around on my busted knee from falling off the platform in my Bible study class last Sunday. Our little Lexie is having ear surgery this morning. Our beautician daughter-in-law has been down with the flu this past week along with our little Alex and one of our twins, Amanda. Last night my mom informed me that the doctor had advised doing a heart procedure to deal with a potential blockage and she and dad wanted to know what I thought about doing this at her age. I continue to work each day on my diabetic situation but some days it can be a real challenge. Sound familiar? It should because these are threads that make up the fabric of our living here in this fallen world."

This week, I've had at least two near misses that could have been calamitous. Sunday after services, I was driving down the feeder and the fellow in front of me put his turn signal on. He turned into a drive. But! He immediately recognized it was the wrong place and he jerked his vehicle back onto the feeder directly into my path. Slam on brakes. I dumped everything on the seat onto the floorboard. Scary. Then, this past Wednesday, while out on company business, I was making my way onto a major freeway. I was driving in a blinding rainstorm. I got up to speed at around 65 MPH. Suddenly, a red pickup truck came sailing by the front of my truck. He had come from three or four lanes to my left trying to exit the freeway. He was fishtailing as he came by and nearly lost it when he had to make a hard left turn to get onto the exit ramp. I didn't even see that truck until he was in front of me. I am not one to blow my horn, but, I laid down on it until the hill of my hand felt bruised. Maybe 30 or 40 seconds. I'm not sure how far I made it before I was able to breathe again, but, it seemed like a fair distance. Twice in one week! The good news is that in both cases I did immediately thank God for His protection. What's that? Maybe someone is trying to tell me something? That's always worthy of consideration. It reminds me of my grandfather's often used advice, "Son, you better straighten up and fly right." There may have been an "or else" thrown in for good measure.

The lingo experts are unclear as to the 'fly right' portion of this admonition. Some think it may have to do with an insect or a bird, while others think it might be an aircraft of some kind. The late, great, crooner, Nat King Cole had a song in 1943 with that saying as it's lyrical theme. The words to that song don't really add much to the conversation. One thing is clear. I didn't need a dictionary to understand exactly what Paw Paw Mac was talking about. I do appreciate those who keep up with my daily machinations. This week has been somewhat of a smorgasbord in terms of the things I have been dealing with. Yes. I know that smorgasbord is most often used in connection with a type of food buffet, but, it can, as I have used it, also reflect a variety and/or wide range of different things. (Look it up.) Embrace variety. Winston Churchill said this, "A change is as good as a rest." I get that, however, sleeping in one day would be a change for me, therefore, it must be a good thing. Doing that has been an elusive one for me, I do know that. Okay. I've done more than enough damage for one week. I do hope you have a wonderful Saturday and Lord's Day Sunday. I will do my best to be in my place, Lord willing, come next Monday. May He bless us all is my prayer. Amen. ...More later.

“Christmas is our annual reminder to look up—pondering celestial stars, to look out—serving those in need, and to look down—glorifying our Lord in humble prayer.” ― Richelle E. Goodrich, her book, 'Smile Anyway'

Welcome to one and all. It's Thursday, February 22, 2018, and here I am doing my morning finger exercises where I'm practicing my blogging skills here on the ole keyboard. That photo popped up the other day. Everyone likes to have Santa and Mrs. Claus as their background. The two ladies are volunteer workers at the huge Jr. League Holiday Market where all the proceeds cleared after expenses go to community causes. I also sent the wife a local TV station promotional video the other day where they were interviewing the key people for this same event. For a background, they had two full-length portraits of Santa, (yours truly), with beautiful children. The season is over but I am currently working forth and back with a new venue for the upcoming season. The lady wanted to make sure she was able to book us. I told her to send her request in August but she sent it already. We are working out the details to get it on our calendar. I say it's the earliest request we have received, however, we do have recurring annual appearances that we do every year. It's good to be me, but, truth told, it's also good to be Santa.

We do live in a time when recriminations rule the day. We have folks ready to resort to who knows what to achieve their gun viewpoints. All sides are pitted against each other. I heard one fellow say that God is the one who gave us the 2nd Amendment, therefore, we must take a stand. God and country, I suppose. On the other side, we have those who are charging any politician who received campaign contributions from the gun lobby as those who are complicit in the school shootings and as having blood on their hands. Those who are on the left have no qualms about taking funds from Planned Parenthood who are largely responsible for an average of 6200 abortions per week. That is no big deal to them because it has to do with so-called choice. That makes it okay. Add to this debate all the stuff flying forth and back on immigration issues, investigations into Russia meddling in our elections, and our President frothing out tweets on a 24 by 7 basis. I don't think President Trump created this atmosphere but he has certainly participated fully in making it an ongoing train wreck. One of the results from all of this has to do with the fatigue of those attempting to be actively engaged as citizens. Even that is probably part of someone's strategy. I feel that fatigue and find myself more and more seeking God's intervention because He and He alone is our hope. Another throw down assessment or some might say it is a drive-by, but, it's my view from here, for what it is worth.

Part of the ugliness of all of this has to do with everyone being able to see things that have mostly always existed but now they are up on the proverbial super sized big screen for all to see. The entrenched political class are front and center as some of the main actors in this reality show run amok. They are reading from a script drenched in hyperbole and hypocrisy. (I thought those two belonged together.) They are collectively playing The Emperor but the whole world can easily see they have no clothes. Okay. I'm done with this for now. I nearly hurt myself mangling so many metaphors. For me, it cannot be hopeless because these folks are doing what they are doing for whatever their motivations might be. They may have no sensitivity how their decision making is under the ultimate authority of our Sovereign God who will use them to further His purposes as He sees fit. I had one of my school chums from way back send me a note telling me he guessed he had used Facebook too much because he had been blocked for a few days. I've seen his postings. Some of them were like using a flamethrower to light the candles on the birthday cake. I mentioned to him that usage was likely not why he was blocked. And, so it goes, another day in the neighborhood. I do hope that we all will find ourselves looking up, for our Redeemer truly draws near. Amen. ....More later.

Happy Birthday to our Brittany!

Brittany, Ryan, and Gabi-girl!

Welcome to Wednesday, February 21, 2018. Today is another special day for us. We recognize and celebrate the birthday of our granddaughter Brittany today, the middle daughter of three girls in the family of our eldest Chris, and wife Sherrie. She and her husband, Ryan, and their little one, Gabriella, (Gabi-girl), are currently stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas, his US Army duty station. It's the first time for our Brittany to be this far away from home. It's also a first for her parents and for us as well. We miss her and her family but at the same time, we are thankful for their willingness to serve. Happy Birthday Brittany and may God continue to bless you and your sweet family. Our love, MiMi, and Poppy.

Let me see. It's still February. Right? Our A/C unit is already running off and on, around the clock. Just a few days ago we had a frozen tundra for our yard. When the overnight lows stay in the 70's, added to the humidity, we get a glimpse of how it will soon be. I hope all of those who longed for the hot are feeling better right about now. What's up with the skunks? They may be having some kind of gathering because I've seen them on my way in, here, there, and everywhere. I try to give them plenty of room for obvious reasons. They keep that smell weapon locked and loaded at all times. I also want to give a shout out to those responsible for keeping the signal lights in working order on one of the major thoroughfares I travel each morning. I do hope they enjoy watching me squirm while I sit and watch them go through every signal light, left, right, middle, up, down, and back again. Just me. No one else, at 3:30 a.m. I'm not much for conspiracy theories but my encounters with these signal lights have to be more than coincidental. I sometimes talk to them. Might as well. What? They can't hear me? That's okay. I can hear me. I just want them to know how much I appreciate them checking out their equipment so early in the morning. As you can tell, it doesn't really bother me, bother me, bother me, one bit. Nope. Not at all!

No. I am not taking it personally. Why should I? The fact that they have a vendetta against me and they do everything they can to impede my progress, aggravate me, and distract me from my journey, well, it doesn't bother me at all. Hopefully, by now you know I'm mostly joking and this is a continuing series as part of my experience as I make my way each day. I would send them a greeting card but I'm not sure they have one dedicated to hall monitors. They do have some interesting sentiments on some of today's cards. ~ Have you ever listened to someone for a while and wondered, who ties your shoelaces in the morning? ~ Retired, seen it all, done it all, can't remember most of it. ~ It's fine and dandy until someone's marshmallow catches on fire. ~ English is important but Math is more importanter. ~ Retired - The snap, crackle, pop, in the morning is not in your cereal. ~ An oldie but goodie: If a man states an opinion and there is no woman to hear it, is he still wrong? ~ Therapy is expensive. Popping bubble wrap is cheap. You choose. ~ Think old and you'll be old. Think young and you'll be a delusional old coot. ~ One for the road: Go ahead and admit it, life would be boring without me. ~ Okay, there you have some ideas to add to your next greeting card. Enjoy the rest of your day and don't forget to remember to thank God for all that He has done, is doing, and will do for His own.  Amen. ....More later.

“I have many fans! Oh! And one small air-conditioner.” ― Anthony T. Hincks

Good morning and welcome to our visit for today, Tuesday, February 20, 2018. I've watched some of the Olympic winter games, but, I've just not been able to get into them this year. Maybe it's because the USA has not done that well. I know of folks who say if you are not interested in watching because your country is not being featured, then, that means you are not a true sports fan. Really? Sign me up for that one. Please. I get the same guff from those who belittle viewers who leave the NASCAR race because the drivers they support are knocked out. People who do that are not real motorsports fans. Really? Sign me up that one too. Please. I can watch whatever it is that I want to watch without regard to having to report my reasons. Or, at least I thought that was the way it works. Not meeting some commentator's definition of what constitutes a true fan is not on my radar screen. If I want to switch from the Daytona 500 to the national tiddlywinks championship, (if there is such a thing), then that falls into an area that is between me, myself, and I, and the TV remote that cannot be pried out of my fist of fury death grip. I was just trying to liven up the script here and have no idea exactly what kind of grip that might be. But, I think you get my point. For instance, I don't care if I ever see LeBron James play basketball. I know he is a great player but I don't care to watch his games. The kneejerk from the enlightened world: You must be a racist. In the same way, you must not be a true fan of sport if you choose not to watch the Olympics. You can't be a true fan of NASCAR if you ever switch the channel. Period. That kind of stuff is not only ridiculous but it may point to why some folks get sick and tired of being sick in tired of trying to follow some of the events being televised. That's my take on this particular matter and now you know. And, you can skip over it, change to a better blog, or find out where the next tiddlywinks championship is being held, and, I will not be casting any stones of condemnation for the choices you make. Got it? Good.

Add to that, due to my age, the fact that I am pretty much beyond any category desired in terms of attracting viewers. That's okay with me. The stuff about seeking the younger audience is real. It makes a huge difference in advertising results. I read about one of the most popular shows in terms of total audience versus a less popular show. The ad revenues for the most popular was much lower than the less popular show. Why? The less popular show was doing well with the 18-34-year-olds. That is the holy grail for those who put together programming. Don't get me wrong. There's a market for us over the hill folks too. But, it is hardly a blip by comparison. There's a reason we get all the hearing aid promotions while watching reruns of Matlock. We understand. In that setting, we are the target audience because the others don't watch. The others spend the big bucks and that's why they want to reach them. I don't have a problem with the way the system works. I'm just glad there's enough of the gray economy to pay for the airing of shows we do want to watch. It means we have to try to be good at operating the remote because let's face it, seeing that dude off of Jeopardy selling burial policies about eight times in an hour-long show, well, it's enough to either make you want to buy one or find a place to hide. I choose to work on my remote skills just for that reason. What say you?

There's somewhere around 328 million living here in the USA, more than double the total in 1952. While the over-65 is a growing metric, it still reflects only around 15% of the total population. Based on the math I was taught, that leaves a whopping target audience of 85% who may be more inclined to be induced by slick advertising. I don't feel bad about being in this minority group. You hear people say, "Well, it does beat the alternative." I cannot say that because the alternative is to be finished up with my sojourn here on earth and to be at home in heaven. We are clear on this transition. The Apostle Paul gave insight into the instantaneous transformation when he, as inspired by the Holy Spirit, wrote, "Now we are confident and are pleased rather to be absent out of the body, and to be at home with the Lord." (2nd Corinthians 5:8 as rendered by the Berean Literal Bible) We had a preacher friend who used to say that while he really did want to go to heaven, he would just as soon it not be today. He likely meant that in a positive way, but, from my viewpoint, I'm more than satisfied with God's perfect timing on this certain event for me. There's an old southern gospel tune, "I've Got More to go to Heaven for than I had Yesterday'. It was recorded by many different groups. It has these words to close out the final chorus, "There'll be a lot of friends a-waiting When I walk through the gate And I've got more to go to Heaven for Than I had yesterday." Okay. That will do it for today. Have a great one and may God bless each one. Amen. ....More later.

“How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy!” ― Thomas Jefferson

Welcome one and all as we do our version of back-to-work Monday, here on this February 19, 2018. A week ago on Monday, the 12th, we observed the actual birthday of President Abraham Lincoln. Today, we celebrate Presidents' Day because President George Washington's birthday is this upcoming Thursday, the 22nd. Prior to 1971, we celebrated the father of our country's birthday on his actual birthday, the 22nd, however, they passed a new law establishing all the three day holidays and this includes his birthday as well. The official resolution still refers to this day as in recognition of President George Washington, however, it is clear that today's approach has been enlarged to include all presidents. That may be the reason it no longer means much more than a federal holiday to most people. As you can tell, we here at our company do not take the holiday, therefore, I am at my regular duty station reporting all of these confusing facts so early in the morning. The modern-day history revisionists would like to destroy any honor and respect afforded our founders. To them, they were, for the most part, white men who either owned slaves or allowed others to do so, therefore, they, shouldn't be remembered at all. Interestingly enough, the revisionists themselves live in this land of the free and home of the brave precisely because of the sacrifices and service of those they deplore. I suppose to them, the founders have become the deplorables of their day, but, to me, they are the champions of liberty and I thank God for them, warts and all, and for what they did for us all. Amen.

While I don't talk about it much, there's not a day that goes by that I don't think about mom and dad. Sitting here at my desk, I can see an envelope I kept that's written in mom's own failing handwriting. She had such a beautiful handwriting throughout her days, but, during the last few years, she was very shaky and she couldn't see very well. That envelope still has hints of her once beautiful cursive style. I remember. My briefcase has many papers that pertain to their material stuff that we are dealing with. They came out of dad's files, therefore, when you see them, you see and hear him. During their last few years, I did my best to be even more diligent to call at least twice a day, sometimes more, depending on their situation. Dad would often answer. She could tell it was me. He would try to delay giving her the phone as long as he could because she would be over there squirming around and reaching out. It was their little game. He was never my biological father, but, I came to love hearing him say, "How's it going, son?" I am sad not to be able to visit with them, but, I am not sad they have accomplished their journey home. They are now a part of that beloved family of ours that we will see again. That's not my idea. It's promised by the Creator God Himself, as inspired in His Word to us, "Now we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest who have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, so also we believe that God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep as Christians.  For we tell you this by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will surely not go ahead of those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a shout of command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are alive, who are left, will be suddenly caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words." The Apostle Paul, from 1st Thessalonians, Chapter 4, Verses 13-18, as rendered in the New English Translation of the Bible, the NET.

The enlarged letters remind us that if we are the Lord's, as brothers and sisters in Christ, we will one day all be together with those who have gone on before us. We are to encourage one another with these truths. All of this is truly something to look forward to, however, I remind us all that seeing our loved ones will pale in comparison to the ultimate reunion when we see our Savior, face to face. I don't know how that will be but I do know it will be the crowning achievement of our faith. The mega-hit song by Mercy Me, 'I Can Only Imagine' attempted to put this into perspective. Here's the chorus, "Surrounded by Your glory ... What will my heart feel ... Will I dance for you Jesus ... Or in awe of You be still ... Will I stand in your presence ... Or to my knees will I fall ... Will I sing hallelujah ... Will I be able to speak at all ... I can only imagine ... I can only imagine." I don't apologize for sharing the truth as I know it, as that truth is a part of who I am. That, my friend, is the essence of the hope we have. It is not a hope so. It's the reality of our unseen certainty which is more real than what we see, touch and feel in our day by day living. We have God's Word on it. That is a reason to be encouraged. I can feel it. Can you? Have a great rest of the day and may God bless each one. Amen. ...More later.

Another look at life through the rear view mirror of my blogmobile. Ten years ago. Why share it again? I read it and thought it was interesting enough to play it again. Remember, we all have the inalienable right to use the Skip and/or the Delete keys.

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2008

"It's Really Not That Bad"

Just as a quick follow-up for Valentine’s, I thought the Google logo put up for the special day really fit my wife and I. I can actually remember a time when images like this wouldn’t have even caught my attention. But, there we go, surfing or dog paddling the world wide web together as we head off into the sunset of our lives. I thought you might get a kick out of seeing it. Now to my story for the day, and you can be sure that I will be sticking to it!

Who would have ever thought Henny Penny and Turkey Lurkey would become main staples of my daily dietary consumption? But, alas, as Bob Dylan put it: “The times they are a-changin”. For me, the new white meat is the old white meat, the white meat, and nothing but the white meat. Never in the history of humanity has anyone undergone a greater challenge in transitioning from the very foundation of enjoying the good life to eating so differently for the privilege of postponing the inevitable. I’m not sure what that sentence says but it somehow does reflect this about the changes I’ve been dealing with: “It’s a real bummer!”

One would guess the yuletide classic would not have worked very well with the line, “While visions of chicken and turkey breasts danced in their heads”. I will have to give a shout out to my wife for trying to help. We’ve done the chicken strips just about every way they can be done from stir-fry to salads. She’s also made turkey chili, turkey burgers, and she surprised me one night with ground turkey meat sauce served over whole-wheat spaghetti. The good news is that nearly every time we’ve tried these dishes that are new to us we both have learned to say, “It’s really not that bad!” Wow! That’s a long way from when I used to drool all over myself just thinking about her smothered steak, mashed potatoes, and gravy!

I also saw her come in the other day packing a huge bag of brown rice. That’s on nearly every one of the charts but I’m not so sure it’s that tasty. In fact, I had some in a light soup the other day, which must be something akin to what they served prisoners in the Dustin Hoffman, Steve McQueen movie, ‘Papillon’. At any rate, the other day I was eating this ‘lite’ soup, the one where the entire large can has only 120 calories or 60 per serving to be exact. It contained those little brown rice kernels and they were all swollen up and looked like little plump weevils to me. To tell the truth, once I got that image in my head the taste ended up being nothing to write home about.

As you can tell, I am one label reading fool these days. I just hope I never have to get into that swapping deal where I try to figure out how many of one food group counts for the other food groups. I can just see myself all bent out of shape like a shopaholic at a swap meet. I’ve not even shared yet about the Butterball Turkey link sausage, or the Jimmy Dean Turkey sausage patties, and the Oscar Mayer deli-fresh varieties of chicken and turkey. We ended up having to dispose of one package of the deli-fresh because after being in the fridge way too long it was sporting a beautiful but tainted rainbow of colors. I bet you are getting very hungry about now. Bear in mind I am not complaining but just like Jack Webb used to say on the series ‘Dragnet’, as Sergeant Joe Friday, this is what I am saying: “Just the facts, ma'am, just the facts”. I am thankful to God that regardless of how difficult this has been, we are by His grace, at this time, and on this day, able to declare: “It’s really not that bad!”

Have a great weekend. Got that? Week ending! That would be Saturday, the 7th and last day of the week. Sunday is the 1st day of the week, a new week, a new day, and a new beginning. Try to get your new week started off by gathering with God’s people to recognize the significance of our Savior being resurrected on the first day of the week, and by thanking Him for the life we can have because He lives! Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition, or in my case, pass the turkey! …..More later.

“Humor can make a serious difference. In the workplace, at home, in all areas of life – looking for a reason to laugh is necessary. A sense of humor helps us to get through the dull times, cope with the difficult times, enjoy the good times and manage the scary times.” ― Steve Goodier

Good morning and welcome to where I hope to bring at least one smile to us all today. It is Thursday, February 15, 2018, and I thought I would do my version of the Funnies for this day. I have been told most of my life that I am way too serious. Really? Perhaps I am, therefore, before I start humming the tune, "Nobody knows the trouble I've seen", I want to share some fun graphics with you. I can't say that any of them caused me to laugh out loud, but, I am certain none of them caused me to write Lol. I share these to prove once and for all that I am a fun loving guy. (I may not have come up with that fun loving guy comment on my own so don't get your hopes up.) Go ahead and smile, it will make your day go better! Amen. ....More later.

"Baby, you're the greatest." ~ My sentiment, but one often quoted to the wife, Alice, played by Audrey Meadows, by Jackie Gleason in his role as Ralph Kramden on one of our all time favorite TV comedy series, "The Honeymooners".

Today is the day when love is celebrated around the globe. I welcome you to our visit here on Valentine's Day, Wednesday, February 14, 2018. Let me give you a brief summary. We had our first date near the end of summer in 1962. We celebrated our first Valentine's in February of 1963. We were married in December of 1964. We've had our ups and downs but the rest of the story is all about our journey together and I am so thankful to have made it, thus far, with this lovely woman of God by my side. Amen. 

I think that pretty much shares my heart for today. May God bless each and every one! And may we love others with the love of Christ. Amen. .....More later.

“Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing.” ― Robert E. Howard

I just checked. Guess what? Things are still a mess in Washington D.C. Yep. As they say, the more things change, the more they stay the same. Especially, if it has to do with politicians power and their personal interests. That's what I have that's making a swishing sound in my noggin this morning, on this Tuesday, February 13, 2018. You know things must be bad when younger guys who almost never pay much attention to the political functioning of our nation come up to you and ask what you think is going to happen. To be honest, I have to tell them I don't really know, but, I do know that God does and I trust Him, completely. They glean that we are in trouble based on the soundbites they hear and the teaser headlines they see. Turmoil. Angst. Upheaval. Name calling. Gridlock. Threats. Stock market volatility. A threat of nuclear attack. And, the list could go on and on. It's no wonder they are nervous and perplexed concerning the future of our Republic. Here again, I think trying to predict in these unsettled times is a fool's errand, however, if, the tumult of the times causes us to stop and consider the God who is in control, then, I submit that to be a positive response. We all caught a momentary glimpse of America seeking God immediately following the 9-11 attacks. It was an amazing experience to see that God was at the forefront of our collective heart. Easy to say, very hard to do, but, wouldn't it be wonderful if it could be that way, all the time? Something for us all to think about even as we deal with the times we live in. May God help. Amen.

One thing I've learned. It's okay not to know. Maybe that has come with age. I can remember being in a past career where not knowing something could be the kiss of death. It was an environment where the adage was turned upside down because not knowing equated to failure. Or, it seemed that way. Looking back, I can't be certain if this fear of not knowing something was real or if it was perceived. Regardless, it had its impact and almost no one ever could openly admit they didn't know something. That kind of craziness will keep you up at night. People come up to me often and hit me with that strange question about a particular Bible passage. I immediately tell them I do have an answer. Often, that answer is, "I really don't know, maybe you could tell me why it is important to you." I have found that we all tend to focus on the novelty of areas that may be unclear. Here's a quote attributed to Mark Twain,  "It’s not the parts of the Bible that I don’t understand that worry me. It’s the parts I do understand." I'm not saying some of these obscure matters are not interesting to discuss, but, in the overarching purpose of God's instruction to us in His word, they really do not amount to much at all. I, at one time, would have had difficulty saying I didn't know something when asked about a particular Bible question. Not anymore. Like Twain, the stuff I do understand keeps me humble and busy. How about you?

Superstar fawned over at the Olympics, sister representing her brother, the brutal dictator of North Korea, whose crimes are so heinous they have been dubbed as crimes against humanity.

I kept up with the opening of the Winter Olympics last Friday off and on during the day via an internet feed of a TV broadcast in English from a South Korean TV outlet. The news about the North Korean delegation pretty much overwhelmed any focus on or about the athletes and the competition. We later watched the games at home on the four different channels available on satellite. I don't know about you, but, I am not for sports people becoming commentators on world geopolitical matters. I think I saw the sister of the North Korean dictator so many times, if the sound wasn't going, one would think she was either the star of the show or maybe the winner of some world talent contest. The Russians are banned from competing because of proven doping allegations. The rest of the athletes breathed a sigh of relief with this sentiment, "Finally!" Wait just a moment. A reprieve has been granted to some of the Russians but they cannot compete for their country. They are listed as Olympic Athletes from Russia (OARs, if you will.). Are you kidding me? The North Korean gambit along with the Russian convoluted confusion, well, that may account for the precipitous drop in ratings on the mainline coverage in the USA. I think the curling competition is interesting. I like to see it for maybe 30 seconds at a time. I read about the quirky North Korean cheerleaders who outnumber the athletes from their country. I haven't seen them yet. I'm not inclined to care if I do or not. Maybe my interest will heat up as this week progresses. (Pun intended.) Oh yeah, just me, but I chased every alternative to try and not hear anything being said by Katie Couric. Don't write me. We all have the right to choose and we do happen to enjoy some TV reruns of yesteryear, even if they didn't have 'living color' back then. Take care now, you hear? May God bless each one. Amen. ....More later.

“There is no spectacle on earth more appealing than that of a beautiful woman in the act of cooking dinner for someone she loves.” ― Thomas Wolfe

Hello out there in the world where keystrokes fly here, there, and everywhere, in what we refer to as Bloggerland. It's Monday, February 12, 2018, and I thought I would live a little dangerously today. The other evening we were going home from Church, the wife was driving, and I was reading some pop-ups on my cell phone. I follow a number of vintage sites that feature photos and other materials from the past. I asked if she wanted me to read to her the tips on how to please your husband from a 1952 Home Economics textbook. She said she wasn't interested in hearing them, but, I compromised, and gave her the subject lines only. That was it for me until I saw a posting from an infuriated feminist who featured the same material in a tirade. She had attempted to verify their authenticity via SNOPES but their investigation was inconclusive. She published them for all the world to see so that all women everywhere could become infuriated like her. Therefore, as another in my series of serving the public interest, I share them with my audience today. My thought after reading them? My, how times have changed. You come to your own conclusion.

Have dinner ready. Plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready, on time for his return. This is a way of letting him know that you have been thinking about him and are concerned about his needs. Most men are hungry when they come home and the prospect of a good meal (especially his favorite dish) is part of the warm welcome needed.

Prepare yourself. Take 15 minutes to rest so you’ll be refreshed when he arrives. Touch up your make-up, put a ribbon in your hair and be fresh looking. He has just been with a lot of work-weary people. Be a little gay and a little more interesting. His boring day may need a lift and one of your duties is to provide it.

Clear away the clutter. Make one last trip through the main part of the house just before your husband arrives. Gather up schoolbooks, toys, papers etc and then run a dust cloth over the tables. Over the cooler months of the year, you should prepare and light a fire for him to relax and unwind by. Your husband will feel he has reached a haven of rest and order, and it will give you a lift too. After all, catering for his comfort will provide you with immense personal satisfaction.

Prepare the children. Take a few minutes to wash the children’s faces and hands (if they are small), comb their hair and, if necessary, change their clothes. They are little treasures and he would like to see them playing the part. Minimize all noise. At the time of his arrival, eliminate all noise of the washer, dryer, and vacuum. Try to encourage the children to be quiet.

Be happy to see him. Greet him with a warm smile and show sincerity in your desire to please him. Listen to him. You may have a dozen important things to tell him, but the moment of his arrival is not the time. Let him talk first – remember, his topics of conversation are more important than yours.

Make the evening his. Never complain if he comes home late or goes out to dinner, or other places of entertainment without you. Instead, try to understand his world of strain and pressure and his very real need to be at home and relax.

Your goal: try to make sure your home is a place of peace, order, and tranquility where your husband can renew himself in body and spirit.

Don’t greet him with complaints and problems. Don’t complain if he’s late home for dinner or even if he stays out all night. Count this as minor compared to what he might have gone through that day.

Make him comfortable. Have him lean back in a comfortable chair or have him lie down in the bedroom. Have a cool or warm drink ready for him. Arrange his pillow and offer to take off his shoes. Speak in a low, soothing and pleasant voice.

Don’t ask him questions about his actions or question his judgment or question his integrity. Remember, he is the master of the house and as such will always exercise his will with fairness and truthfulness. You have no right to question him.

A good wife always knows her place.

Like I say, I'm just the messenger. It's intended to bring a smile, that is, unless you want to join up with the infuriated feminist crowd. Take care and may God help us all. Amen. ....More later. 

Living High On The Hog (Reprinted from Friday, February 8, 2009)

Today is Friday, February 9, 2018. This is my blog from nine years ago. When I wrote this, I was still early on in dealing with the impact of my diabetes diagnosis. Enjoy!

As I continue to do research on information concerning dietary matters relating to my diabetic situation, I can't help but smile at some of the stuff I read. Now I fully realize there are many folks dealing with diabetes who find very little to laugh about but at this stage, I just can't help myself. I would never intentionally poke fun at anyone who is worse off than myself and dealing with advanced complications from this incurable ailment. I was recently reading about the differences between organic meats as compared to the chemically injected stuff we typically buy at our local supermarket. In doing so, I happened upon something I thought was pretty funny. Even in my own lifetime, I've seen the results that come from plumping up the foods we buy. Take chickens for instance. When I was a kid we could buy 3 fryers for $1.00 and they were probably around a pound each and perfect for barbecue or grilling. Today, those same birds typically weigh between 3 to 4 pounds or more and they look like the 'before' on one of those weight loss advertisements. But I digress. Here's the information on organic meats that caught my attention:

The philosophy of organic production is to provide conditions that meet the health needs and natural behavior of the animal. Thus, organic livestock is given access to the outdoors, fresh air, water, sunshine, grass, and pasture, and are fed 100 percent organic feed. Any shelter provided must be designed to allow the animal comfort and the opportunity to exercise. Organic practices prohibit feeding animal parts of any kind to ruminants that, by nature, eat a vegetarian diet. Thus, no animal by-products of any sort are incorporated in organic feed at any time. National organic standards require oversight of production and handling systems. For instance, production and handling operations must undergo onsite inspections and have the farm operating plans in place in order to be certified organic. The standards also specify feed requirements, including what is and is not allowed. For instance, in organic production, livestock cannot be fed plastic pellets for roughage, or formulas containing urea or manure. They cannot be given antibiotics or growth hormones. All of these are allowable practices in conventional agriculture. For an animal to be raised for organic meat, its mother must have been fed organic feed for at least the last third of gestation.

Now, I don't know about you but to me, this sounds like some pretty good treatment for animals whose next stop includes being ground up into patties, or cut into pieces for folks near and far. Reading this reminded me of a funny story told by the late Jerry Clower, who was a country folk humorist. I believe the story adds some perspective on what it really means to value the animals that end up on our plates. Here's Jerry's story:

We was out visiting Uncle Ronnie Ledbetter, and my brother and I like to have had a heart attack. There was a hog out there in a pen - - with a wooden peg leg. And my brother said, "Uncle Ronnie, what in the world is that hog 'doin' with a wooden peg leg? Why has he got a peg leg?" And my uncle replied, "Sonny, that's the most wonderful hog in the world. My house was burning about a year ago, and that hog rescued the baby, got the baby out, saved its life. We love that hog, that hog's just like a member of our family. The year before that a little boy was drowning down at the 'batizin' hole in the river, and that hog jumped in that river and grabbed him and rescued him. And that hog's like a member of my family. We do love that hog!" My brother said, "Yeah, but you still ain't told us why he's got a wooden peg leg." And Uncle Ronnie said, "Sonny boys, you just don't eat a hog that wonderful but one ham at a time."

Have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend. I highly recommend that you spend time with your family and that you will not find yourself being the missing letters in the question, "Who's missing in CH_ _CH?" Lord willing and I'm able to get up and go next Monday, I'll see you then. (Fooled you on that one with no Creek Indian Nation, no streams, bayous, or rivers.) May God bless. Amen. ....More later.